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CHILDREN OF MEN is not a popcorn movie. With its almost relentlessly bleak perspective on the future, Alfonso Cuarón's film doesn't make for pleasant viewing. But it's an exhilarating experience because the picture is an amazing dystopian drama that lacks all the typical trappings of the genre. Set uncomfortably close to the present, it paints a frighteningly realistic picture of the future. In 2027, every woman on earth is infertile. With the loss of the ability to have children, the world has also lost hope. Clive Owen (CLOSER) plays Theo, an Englishman attempting to make a life in a hellish world. His estranged wife (Julianne Moore) convinces him to help transport a young woman to safety. When Theo learns that the woman is pregnant, their journey takes on a significance--and a danger--he never imagined.^This is Cuarón's best film to date, a strong statement considering his wonderful HARRY POTTER AND THE PRISONER OF AZKABAN and Y TU MAMA TAMBIÉN. Filmed using a handheld camera, the action draws the audience close, making the horror that much more real. In addition to its remarkable car-chase scenes, the film features impressive acting. With his expressive face and voice, Owen gives a nuanced performance that ranks with the best of his career. As a reclusive hippie, Michael Caine shares a charming counterculture view of the crumbling world. Chiwetel Ejiofor (DIRTY PRETTY THINGS) brings gravitas to the role of a terrorist. Just when the film threatens to overwhelm with its sense of dread, small moments of comedy show through in Owen's wry sense of humor and Caine's perfect delivery. When the credits roll, CHILDREN OF MEN leaves the audience feeling shell-shocked, not only because of its brutal prophecy, but also because of its brilliance.

Reviews

Total Film

3 stars out of 5 -- "It's a very finely made film, with Owen hinting at a humanity beneath the character's grubby cynicism and delivering one of his most consistent, impressive performances." 11/01/2006 p.49

Sight and Sound

"[T]he main pyrotechnics are saved for the semi-impressionist action climax....CHILDREN OF MEN's unrestrained energy is electrifying." 12/01/2006 p.50

Film Comment

Ranked #19 in Film Comment's "20 Best Films Of 2006." 01/01/2007 p.36

Uncut

4 stars out of 5 -- "CHILDREN OF MEN does what the best dystopic drama should do: it makes you look at the world around you and shudder." 02/01/2007 p.104

Rolling Stone

3.5 stars out of 4 -- "In the spellbinding CHILDREN OF MEN, his best film to date, Cuaron, 45, fills every frame with his passion and intellect. Here's a movie that grabs you hard, pops your eyes, provokes your mind and ultimately lifts your spirits." 01/25/2007 p.78

Ultimate DVD

5 stars out of 5 -- "This is gut-pummelling and tense stuff, as Cuaron creates a world only a few steps removed from our own....CHILDREN OF MEN is guaranteed classic status." 03/01/2007 p.93,5 stars out of 5 -- "Searingly committed to celluloid by Cuaron, CHILDREN OF MEN is a film that gets into your head....Stunning." 08/01/2007 p.83